Maha Kumbh stampede: Eyewitness blames police, toll mounts to 36

Bansal rules out footbridge collapse

Railways Minister P.K. Bansal, however, today ruled out the collapse of footbridge or any railing on the railway station as the cause for stampede

"There has been no collapse of foot over bridge or any railing on the station. I want to clear that stampede occurred due to people reaching in large numbers. We had made arrangements before start of the Kumbh. We have come to know that people turned in large numbers resulting in stampede. Still there are large number of people on the station," he said.

Bansal however mentioned that his ministry has arranged more trains to ferry people from Allahabad.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) Government in Uttar Pradesh has ordered an inquiry into the stampede, and asked the railways to make proper arrangements to clear rush of devotees. The Uttar Pradesh Government has also sanctioned an ex-gratia of Rs five lakh to the kin of each of the dead persons.

Image:People shout for help after a stampede at Allahabad train station during the ongoing Kumbh Mela on Sunday